A Renewed State of Mind
by Espeonage
Summary: Chapter Four is up. Sean and Mudkip's battle with the Gym Leader has an unexpected end. A group of strangers comes into the picture. A whole new twist in this Chapter of ARSOM.
1. The Makings of Mental Capacity

Author's Note: This is my first Fic. I'm not expecting glory or fame from this. Nor am I expecting you to leap at my feet and praise me for writing it. What I AM expecting is to have fun while writing it and to make at least one of you enjoy it. (No torture will be involved)  
  
A Renewed State of Mind  
By:Espeonage  
  
  
Chapter One: The Makings of Mental Capacity  
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He didn't need any assistance waking that day. The same as many of the days before, his sleep was riddled with nightmares and scattered dreams of his past, and he wanted nothing more than to forget the last few years of his life.   
  
He kicked off his covers, reached for his slippers, and we see, for the first time, his appearance. A tall boy, the age of fifteen, lean, not lanky, with a clear complexion. His deep blue eyes are half hidden behind his unruly blond hair. Nothing out of the ordinary distinguishes him except a streak of silver covering a portion of hair on the right side of his head.  
  
Rubbing his eyes, he stood up, now wearing his slippers, and trudged wearily towards the bathroom. He took a look in the mirror, chuckled silently to himself and reached for his toothbrush. After brushing for what seemed like an hour, he went back to his room, knowing that anything he did to his hair would just make it look worse than it already was, and threw on an Adidias t-shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and a pair of sneakers, and walked down the stairs.   
  
His mother, Alicia, was already in the kitchen, apparently cooking. He could the smell eggs frying in the pan and knew it must still be fairly early. Walking into the hall and looking at the wall clock, he saw that he was right. 6:57. He never slept like he used to anymore. While pondering why his mom was up this early cooking on a Saturday, he went into the kitchen. She sprang right into conversation.  
  
"Oh good morning, Sweetie!"   
  
Cheerful mornings were always her thing.  
  
"Mmph.."  
  
"So talkative aren't we, Sean? I see your skills as a morning person haven't improved."  
  
"So what if I'm tired? I must have woken up six times during the night.."  
  
She took the dejected look on his face as any mother would. She immediately swelled up with concern and worry.  
  
"What's wrong, did somebody do something at school to upset you?"  
  
"Mom, you really need to quit asking me that. And besides, school's been out since Tuesday."  
  
"Right.."  
  
She was a very pretty woman in her early thirties. Blond hair, like him, but she had brown eyes. He obviously got his blue eyes from his father. She was fairly tall, a whopping 5'4", and she, again like him, was thin. He loved her mother dearly, but she wasn't always very quick on the uptake. And, of course he couldn't tell her exactly WHY he had woken up.   
  
"I'm gonna get goin', Mom," he stated."I think I'm gonna take a walk or something.."  
  
"Oh, ok, Dear. But be careful."  
  
"Mom, I've lived here all my life. There's nothing I haven't seen or done."  
  
It was a crisp summer morning. You know the kind. These temperate regions always begin the day fairly cool and calm. Sean knew the way things went around here. Cool mornings, ninety degrees by noon.   
  
Summers bring earlier mornings, but the sun was still just coming over the hillside about a mile away from his house. He and his mother lived alone in an old two-story farm house. Resting his arms behind his head, he looked up at the sky. Slowly changing from the deep dark blues and blacks of nighttime to the pinks and oranges of sunrise.  
  
A few Spearow flew overhead. Not an uncommon sight. Pokemon never seemed to draw Sean's attention like it did so many of the other kids. He was either uninterested or just indifferent to the fact that such remarkable creatures lived on this planet. He'd sit down at a friend's house and watch a battle or two with them and their dad, but he never seemed to get wrapped up in it. He understood the rules, regulations and all that stuff, but truly understanding Pokemon? Let's just say he really couldn't care less.  
  
He kicked a stone slowly down the dirt road and looked toward the treeline, some hundred yards off. Not yet mixed with the sun's light, the forest appeared gloomy and somewhat intimidating. Sean knew better, his life having revolved around the forest and it's secrets from ages six to twelve. Small children are always into exploring. Naturally, he knew everything there was to know about it.   
  
The road travelled on through the forest for about three miles, coming out on the otherside to a fairly large town. Kingston was an up and coming town, not too far from any other of the major cities you can see on any map of the surrounding area, and it was pretty well populized. It even had it's own Pokemon Gym.   
  
A friend of Sean's had gone off to train there when he was twelve. He said he wanted to be the Gym Leader there some day. He was none too enthusiastic about it, but Sean kind of shrugged it off. It was Pokemon, but at least his friend wouldn't have to move away to be there.  
  
Sean relaxed his arms, placing them at his sides and continued to walk along the road. He glanced at familiar landmarks as he passed. There were the rocks and trees he climbed on during his earlier years. He recalled old friends who crawled around behind the rocks and swung from the branches of the trees. He sighed deeply and remembered the days his father would come back and play with him and his friends.  
  
In case you were wondering, his father wasn't dead. He was, in fact, a Pokemon Trainer. Pokemon travels always take commitment and time. Lots and LOTS of time. His father made it home maybe three weeks out of the year. But when he came back, Sean felt like the happiest boy in the world. It was suddenly as if he never left. He told Sean and his mother about his travels. Sean was never interested at all in the topic, but being near his father and spending time with him completed his life.   
  
Sean didn't have or need a destination for his walk. He didn't plan on stopping or coming home until he was completely positive he had worked out the troubles that went through his head and satisfied his mind enough that it would let him sleep at night. The only problem was, he had no idea what it was that was doing it.   
  
He closed in on the forest. It was now thirty-five yards away. He felt drawn to it. He continued to walk, still totally wrapped in his mind, uncontiously stepping over roots and dead branches he'd known to step over since his first visit this close to the woods.   
  
He stopped as he entered the low treecover. Looking up into the gloom, visions of his nightmares flashed before his eyes, he was still not sure what they meant. Stepping further into the forest seemed to bring about a new side of him. He looked around in wonderment for a moment then took off in a full sprint down the dirt road.  
  
Jumping mud puddles and trees, his legs carried him to some unknown place. He continued to push himself at flight speed until he had found what he was looking for. For five full minutes he ran at that speed. Finally, when he could no longer take the strain on his legs, he stopped. Clutching a stitch in his side, he looked around to see where he was. He had no recollection of this place. No familiar branch, no familiar log, no nothing. He was surrounded on all sides by forest. It was so thick at this point he couldn't see more than thirty feet from him in any direction.   
  
He continued onward still being slightly out of breath. A ray of sunshine in front of him caught his eye. Apparently the sun had risen above the woods and was shining through a little ways in front of him. He walked a few more feet. He couldn't see what it was. There was a small ravine. He took a few more steps. It dropped twenty feet down and had a small brook running along the bottom. It was a muddy, root-filled stream and there seemed to be movement at the bottom. Bubbles rose to the surface of the water.   
  
Sean began his descent. He climbed catiously down the ravine's side, using the saplings for support and rocks for footholds. He reached the water's edge and began to scan for the bubbles he had seen.   
  
Then, to his left, the surface surged as bubbles appeared. He ran downstream until he reached the place where the bubbles had surfaced. He waited. The bubbles appeared a few feet to his left again. Whatever it was was moving. He continued to follow. The stream steadily widened out and the forest thinned. Sun shined through the trees and Sean suddenly recognized the area. The bubbles continued to stream upward, but whatever was beneath the water's surface was no longer moving.   
  
The bubbles ceased and Sean waited. Minutes passed and he began to wonder if it had moved off. He turned around and began to walk slowly back up the ravine's side, now much less steep.   
  
Anticipation left him and he began to think about his dreams again, but a shrill sound rang in his ear. He turned around and the sound of ragin water could be heard again. He ran back towards the stream at breakneck speed. Hurling himself down the ravine again, he saw the source of the noise. A blue Pokemon. Sitting a foot out of te water. It had red jewel-like features on its head and long tentacles. A Tentacool. He was about to turn around, thinking he had wasted his time when something caught his eye. One of the Tentacool's tentacles seemed oddly large. He looked at it closely and realized it was wrapped around something, and whatever it was was making that God-awful noise. He got as close as he could to the water. The Tentacool appeared to be squeezing as hard as it could. The shrills were dying down, and so was whatever it was holding.   
  
Sean looked around on the shore for anything he could use to hit the Tentacool with. Nothing. He looked into the water. It seemed shallow enough. He took a step. His foot sunk deep into the muck. He wrenched his foot out. It had nearly claimed his shoe. The sounds were growing even less. Looking around again, he noticed a branch and near it was a rock. A rather large rock. He picked both of them up and ran back along the shore to get a good shot at the Tentacool. He took aim and heaved the rock at it. The rock smacked it in the back of its head.  
  
"Bingo," he thought."Dead on."  
  
The Tentacool dropped its prey and turned on Sean. It puny little under-eyes were on fire with anger. Using its long tentacles as legs, it crawled through the muck towards Sean. Having no idea what to do he frantically perused the shore again. The Tentacool was closing in and Sean was panicking. He barely knew what this thing was, let alone how to stop it, and it was streaming headlong towards him.   
  
The Tentacool fired something from under its body with amazing accuracy and smacked Sean right on the leg. It burned through his jeans immediately. He gasped and grabbed a sharp rock that was nearby and cut the pants off from the knee down. He looked back up as the Tentacool shot off another one. This one he jumped away from. It was still closing in. A scrambled to his feet. He tasted blood. He touched his lip. It had been bitten in the fall. It wasn't bleeding too freely, he'd be fine. Sean looked around again. At last, success. A thick tree branch was leaning against the wall of the ravine. He grabbed it and turned himself around.  
  
The Tentacool was on him. It was much less coordinated as it walked on land, so it dropped down to rest on its belly and raised its tentacles threateningly in the air. Sean moved back a few steps and looked around behind him. He tightened his grip on the log.   
  
"Tentacoool...," it hissed.  
  
Sean swallowed hard and stared back at it. He took another step back and the Tentacool picked itself up and took another step forward. Sean took another step. Tentacool did the same. A third time he did this. Tentacool followed. The Tentacool didn't seem to want to let him go. Maybe he could use this to his advantage. He surveyed his surroundings a final time. A large tree trunk stood erect behind him, some ten feet tall and fifteen feet from him. The sand and dirt he stood on seemed to be firm enough and the ground was littered with small stones. Nothing big enough to hurt himself on.   
  
He cationed himself. Reassuring his plan, he took one final step backwards. The Tentacool did as well. It tilted its weight onto one tentacle and Sean steadied himself, taking a deep breath. He pivoted on his left foot and threw his weight into his run. For the third time today, he was sprinting. This time for his life. He turned his head to his side. Sure enough, it was following. He slowed so it could catch up. As it gained, he reached the tree trunk. He leapt into the air and kicked off the tree. He had propelled himself into the air, right over the Tentacool. Confused, the Tentacool turned around. Now Sean was on it. He took back the limb and smacked the Tentacool in the side of the head with it. The Tentacool careened back into the water and disappeared.   
  
"Yes!," he shouted.  
  
The Tentacool floated to the water's surface then took off upstream, away from Sean. Very pleased with himself, he chucked the limb into the stream and was about to climb back up the side when he noticed a small blue lump on the far shore. It was the Tentacool's prey. It was twitching in immense pain. He took a few steps from the water's edge then ran toward the stream and hurtled himself over the water. He ran toward the little ball of blue and looked down at it. It had curled itself into a defensive position and was whimpering.  
  
"A Pokemon," he stated."What am I supposed to do with this thing?"  
  
Looking down at it, he realized it was a Pokemon he hadn't seen before. It had a blue body, and a light blue underside. Orange tufts in a half-star shape came from each of its cheeks.   
After realizing Sean wasn't going to hurt it, it stood up. It's legs were tiny. And its tail resembled a fin. Also, on top of its head was a fin-type projection. It stared up at him and blinked. It had small egg-shaped eyes.  
  
"Mudkip," it stated blankly.  
  
Sean looked down in dismay. He had no idea what to do. It appeared to be in a lot of pain. He turned to jump back over the stream and it collapsed. Exhaustion had caught up with it. Its breathing was irregular. Sean didn't care for Pokemon at all, but he wasn't one to let a creature sit in the forest and die. He picked it up and climbed back up the side of the ravine.   
  
The journey home was a slow one. The Pokemon became increasingly worse as time went on. His breathing became harsher and his skin became dry.   
  
The edge of the forest was in sight and Sean clutched the Pokemon closer to his body and ran the rest of the way there. He reached the front door and flinged it open.   
  
"Mom! Come quick!," he yelled up the stairs.  
  
She was down the steps in no time.   
  
"What is it? Oh! Is that a Pokemon?"  
  
"Yes! And its hurt! What do we do?"  
  
"Um..It looks likea Water-type. Should we put it in the bathtub?"  
  
"I don't know! How am I supposed to know this stuff?!"  
  
"I'll fill it. Bring it upstairs."  
  
They both ran up the steps and she filled the bathtub halfway. He set the injured Pokemon in it and stood back.   
  
"Now what?"  
  
"I dunno..It's not like I'm exactly in to this you know."  
  
"Well, what happened to it for God's sake?!"  
  
"I ran into the woods and found this stream. It got attacked by this one Pokemon...I've seen it before, I just can't remember what it is. I hit it with a rock and it attacked me. It got me with some acid stuff on my pants, then I hit it with a stick and it ran away. I grabbed this one and ran it home."  
  
"Oh, you poor dear..."  
  
She was reffering to the Pokemon. She placed a hand on its forehead and it shivered into her touch.   
  
"The best thing we could do is take it to a Pokemon Center."  
  
"Kingston, then?"  
  
"Yes. I'll get the car. Wrap it in a damp towel and meet me outside."  
  
Sean did as he was told and once again picked up the little Pokemon. The towel helped, but its little body was still shivering and its breathing was still staggered.  
  
His mom was waiting outide, keys in the ignition and engine running. She waited for him to get into the car and pulled out of the drive onto the dirt road. Sean petted the little Pokemon on its head. He didn't like it, but it was kind of cute wrapped up like a baby.  
  
His mom drove through the forest speedily and they arrived in Kingston about ten minutes later. Pulling into town, they made a left on the first street, passed the Gym, and arrived at the Pokemon Center. It was extremely crowded. Sean opened the door and ran towards the Center. He sprinted towards the front desk, nearly knocking some of the Trainers over as he did so.   
  
"Nurse! Nurse!"  
  
"Yes?," Joy asked.  
  
"This Pokemon! I found him in the woods! He's in really bad shape!" he panted.  
  
"Oh my! Let me take a look at it!"  
  
She removed the towel and observed a small laceration where the tentacle had dug into the little Pokemon's skin.   
  
"Chansey, I need a stretcher for a small Water-type STAT!"  
  
The Chansey were extremely fast workers being as big as they were. They hooked it to an IV and drove it into a back room.   
  
"We'll be with you shortly. There's a good chance it might not make it..Talk to my sister while we look at it. Tell her what happened and maybe we'll have a better chance of saving it."  
  
The other Joy appeared. She was clad in the same white nurse's outfit. A white hat with a red cross on it adorned her head and her pink hair was looped up behind her head.  
  
"Alright..What is your name, Dear?"  
  
"Sean."  
  
"Ok, Sean. I need to know what happened. Tell me exactly, leaving nothing out."  
  
Sean began his story. Telling her of the run through the woods to the stream, the jellyfish that he'd seen, but wasn't sure what it was, and his finding of the little blue Pokemon.   
  
"Oh dear...A Tentacool..It was using Wrap on it then?"  
  
"That seemed to be what it was," he had no idea what she had just said.  
  
"I'm going to check on the Pokemon with my sister. Wait here."  
  
She went into the back room with her sister, and Sean's mom entered, having parked the car. She was breathing so hard it appeared she parked it some five blocks away and had run back. Sean stared at her and made her sit down in the corner. He sat down with her.  
  
"You ok?," he asked laughingly.  
  
"Yeah..," she sighed,"It was a long run."  
  
"I gave them the Pokemon and they're taking care of it in the back room."  
  
Sean placed his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. His mind flashed back to the vision of the day so far and he realized it was still very early. Again he looked at the clock, and again he was right. Only 9:30. He shrugged it off.   
  
Closing his eyes again, his ears opened up to the Center. Sounds of Pokemon and their Trainers playing filled his ears. He opened his eyes. Looking around,he saw many different Pokemon. Most of which he'd seen, a few he had no clue about, and even less he knew the names of.It seemed a shame to him that the whole world was wrapped up in this thing and he had no idea what their purpose was. Even his own mother knew more about Pokemon than him. That was like a slap in the face.  
  
His mind flashed back to his father. He remembered that whenever he came home he always had Pokemon with him. He never actually paid attention to them, but when his father wasn't talking to him or sleeping, he was with his Pokemon. He remembered in particular a large bird with three heads. It was brown, but he knew nothing else about it. Maybe he remembered it most vividly because it was his father's most recent catch? He couldn't remember. God, he missed his father.   
  
Nurse Joy appeared from the back room and walked up to Sean. She didn't seem to have a concerned look on her face, which was a good sign.  
  
"Dear, your Pokemon will be fine. He had a cut along his abdomen, but we stitched it up and he'll be as good as new in a couple days. The stitches will fall out on their own, so you don't have to worry about braving the forest again, hm?," she giggled.  
  
"Thanks, Nurse Joy. He's a resilient little guy, isn't he?"  
  
"Yes, very. Is he yours?"  
  
"Well, no. I had just found him in the forest, remember?"   
  
"Oh, right. Well, you really should keep him. Are you a Trainer?"  
  
"No, I've never really been interested. But I'm considering," he threw in, looking around.  
  
Half of the room was listening. Stony glances were being thrown at him by all the Trainers and his mother was shifting nervously in her seat. They were relieved when the other Nurse Joy brought the Pokemon out from the back room, as it drew attention from them for a moment.   
  
"Son, do you know what you've got here?," she asked.  
  
How could he?He barely even knew it was a Pokemon until he had gotten close enough to it.  
  
"No...What?," he replied, feeling stupid.  
  
"It's a Mudkip. And they're not normally found in these parts. In fact, I've only seen one in a book. And the cool thing about them is the fact that they're a dual-type Pokemon. It's part Water and part Ground," she threw in a wink for effect.  
  
He didn't know what he was supposed to say to that. Now that everyone was listening, most eyes were on him, others on Mudkip.  
  
"Cool," he stated blankly.  
  
She handed him the Pokemon and he and his mom walked out of the Center, Sean reddening by the second. He heard catcalls from inside the Center as he trudged out. His temper was running shorter as they reached the car. Apparently a Trainer had followed them. He and his Bulbasaur were jeering at them as they pulled off.  
  
His mom drove slower home than he did on the way through the first time. Mudkip wasn't breathing hard and his bandage seemed to be helping soothe his pain a bit. Sean looked down at it with concern showing through his ignorance, and he patted the young Pokemon's head with a reassuring touch. His mom smiled as she looked over at him. She enjoyed seeing him have fun with a Pokemon for once. It killed her that he didn't like them as a child.  
  
They pulled back into the driveway and Sean carried Mudkip up to his room, still stroking its blue head. Mudkip was awake now, and it was thoroughly enjoying the attention Sean was giving it. It looked up at him, opened its mouth a little ways and tilted his head innocently.   
  
"You're not so bad, ya know that?," Sean told Mudkip.  
  
"Kip?"   
  
"You're actually kinda...cute," he smiled at Mudkip and pet him again.  
  
They spent the rest of the day with his mom. The field across the street from their house was huge. Mudkip walked around slowly, and enjoyed the flowers and trees while Sean and his mother watched him and talked some fifty feet away.   
  
"You know, Sean, I had Pokemon at one time."  
  
The news was totally new to him.   
  
"Really? Why didn't you ever tell me?"  
  
"Well...To tell you the truth, I was scared you would dislike me or something. Your father being away all the time made me want to plese you in every way possible. But I guess little Mudkip has finally broken your barriers, eh?," she smiled at him.  
  
The thought had occured to him. Mudkip really had lessened his hold on his former thoughts of Pokemon. Several yards away Mudkip hiccupped and shot a jet of mud at a nearby rock. He then turned and strolled back to Sean who immediately picked it up and held it.   
  
"It really feels good to know you've grown out of that, Sean. When you started to dislike Pokemon around the age of four I had to let my Pokemon go with your father. I felt it best that way..I do miss my old friends..."  
  
"Mom, I had no idea..."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Dear," she sighed and stood up."I think I'll go start dinner or...or something..."  
  
He watched her walk away. He looked back at Mudkip who was dripping mud slowly from his lower lip and watching a fly zoom around his head. He smiled again and patted Mudkip who's attention immediately flicked back to Sean.  
  
"Maybe you guys really aren't that bad after all," he said to himself more than to Mudkip."It really wouldn't be that bad to train Pokemon.."  
  
His mind again flashed to his father. He could see him off somewhere in a distant land fighting a battle with his three-headed wonder bird. He wished he could be there with him. Mudkip licked his face. He looked down at him. A thought popped into his head. Everyone had been mentioning it today, but this is the first time he actually considered what they were saying. He had said it himself: "It really wouldn't be that bad to train Pokemon.." He looked at Mudkip, thought of his father, and made up his mind. He would travel the world, earning badges, and catch up with his dad. They would train together. And if all went bad, he could always come back, right?   
  
He ran back to the house as the sun went down, his plan set, his Pokemon in hand, and his goal in front of him. He had decided to find his father. He had decided to let Pokemon into his life. And he had to decided to become a Pokemon Trainer.  
  
Tomorrow was a new day and Sean knew that he had to start then. He had to learn. Ignorance isn't a good thing in the World of Pokemon, and that's one of the few things that Sean knew.  
  
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Closing Note: Just as you all start to get into it, he ends it. How inconsiderate of me. I had a lot of fun writing this first chapter. And sorry some parts of it were so boring. But you have to get the boring stuff out of the way if you want the goods, right? Expect lots and lots of chapters for this story. I should probably update weekly, but if I don't, wait longer. If you enjoyed this story, please review. Hell, if you hated it, please review. I'm in to any and all suggestions from you guys.  
  
Final Note: A friend of mine tells me this is 11 pages to print. Print with caution. 


	2. A Rookie's First Day

Author's Note: The first chapter was a lot of fun. Looking back on it, I realized how many spelling errors I made. Please note that this isn't my ignorance in the means of using a computer. It is simply my lack of MS Word, which I will have in a few days. Anyway, Mudkip is a lot of fun to work with in this story because no one knows what it actually sounds like or how it moves or anything, so surprises are around every corner. And by the way, I would like to extend a thanks to Dawn of Espeon and The Duke of Briarcliffe for their reviews. I at least know they read the story. ;)   
  
With no more ado...  
  
A Renewed State of Mind  
By: Espeonage  
  
  
Chapter Two: A Rookie's First Day  
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Morning dawned once again on Sean's countryside home. His sheets were warm and he layed there for what seemed like hours before he finally mustered the courage to enter the cold, harsh reality that was the floor next to his bed. His sleep, for the first time in weeks, had been undisturbed. Perhaps the excitement of the day before had tired him out enough to fall into a dreamless slumber. Whatever it was, he was glad for it; it had been his longest sleep in forever and he had enjoyed every second of it. He checked his bedside alarm clock. 10:00 o'clock. Finally, a decent night's rest. Adorning himself with his robe and slippers, he headed for the bathroom.  
  
Upon entering the hall, a mass of squish careened into his leg. He looked down and viewed Mudkip staring up at him happily. It took a few moments for Sean to register what in the dear Lord's name it was, then smacked himself on the forehead at his stupidity. Mudkip continued his staring contest with Sean's chin and waited patiently for his new friend to realize he existed.   
  
"Mud! Kipcacha!," it squeakily chirped to Sean.  
  
"Yes'm?," he groggily answered.  
  
Now having Sean's attention, Mudkip leapt a full six inches into the air, repeatedly, until Sean picked it up. Sean complied, reaching down and securing Mudkip's underside with his hands before lifting. He scratched Mudkip's fin and carried it with him to the bathroom.   
  
"You know..You shouldn't be running around until those stitches fall out..," he said, looking at Mudkip's bandages.  
  
"Mud?," it asked innocently.  
  
Sean had arrived at his destination. The bathroom was as clean as ever. His mom never missed a step when it came to cleaning. He set Mudkip down on the counter and went about his morning routine. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and disregarded his hair. Picking up Mudkip, he began to exit the room, but Mudkip uttered a tiny whimper. Sean stopped, looked down at the tiny Pokemon, and scratched its fin again. Mudkip continued to whimper. Sean guessed there was something in the bathroom it wanted. He made an about-face and returned to the bathroom. Setting Mudkip on the counter again, he stepped back to see the reaction Mudkip would have. Mudkip simply stared past Sean to the bathtub.   
  
"Oh..Time for a swim, little guy?," he asked.  
  
Mudkip's face lit up and he began to prance around on the countertop. Sean scooped him up before he could hurt himself. Immediately turning around, Sean hurried to the bathtub and filled it to the brim with luke warm water. He set Mudkip in it and stood back. Mudkip, at once, dived to the bottom of te tub and closed its eyes. Sean took his opportunity and sneaked out of the bathroom. Sounds of movement being heard from downstairs, Sean investigated.  
  
His mother was at work again. This time straightening and shifting furniture. She never seemed to cease her ritualistic cleaning habits. Upon Sean's entrance to the room, however, she stopped entirely and rushed over to him.  
  
"Sean, are you feeling well? You've slept past 7 o'clock!," she sarcastically remarked.  
  
"Hurr hurr...I've actually been up for a little while. I'm letting Mudkip swim in the tub. He seems a lot more energetic today."  
  
"He should be out of it by now. He's been up for about three hours. Didn't like the arrangement of the furniture, so he starting shoving things to the walls. Then he did a little number in the middle of the floor which included spitting mud at the carpet. Little devil he is. But cute, I'll give him that," she ended with a giggle.  
  
Sean just smiled at this. He couldn't comprehend how Mudkip could have grown on him so fast. His mother smiled back at him and withdrew a hairbrush from her pocket. She lazily ran it through her hair and retreated to the kitchen.   
  
"Sean, would you like something to eat while I'm in here?," she called out to him.  
  
"No, I'm fine. Has Mudkip eaten yet today?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Take a banana up to him or something."  
  
Sputtering sounds could be heard from the upstairs. Alicia ran into the living room from her kitchen dwelling and looked worriedly at Sean. Together they ran up the stairs and entered the bathroom. The water had turned dark and muddy. Along the top of the water streamed a fin, shark-style, making circles around the outside of the tub. Sean and his mother shot a quick glance to each other then began to laugh. The fin stopped and Mudkip popped his head out. He looked around anxiously, unaware he was being watched. When he spotted Sean and his mother he wiggled his fin-like tail, splashing muddy water all of the walls and floor. Sean grabbed a towel and pulled Mudkip quickly out of the water. After drying him off, he placed him on the floor and went to dry off the walls.   
  
"Leave it," Alicia stated.  
  
Sean stopped and returned to Mudkip and his mother.   
  
"I'll get it myself. I've finished downstairs, and I don't want you messing anything up more than it already is. Mudkip!"  
  
Mudkip had returned to his watery home and splashed them and the room with water once again. This time it was Alicia who retrieved the Pokemon from the water. Drying him off, she motioned for Sean to follow her out of the bathroom before she shut the door behind her. Setting Mudkip down, she looked back to Sean.  
  
"What are your plans for today?"  
  
"I figured Mudkip and I would go out and train..," he replied with an unassured expression on his face.  
  
"Let me give you a slight tip...Before you go off and "train," I deeply suggest you learn more about Mudkip. Go to Kingston and buy him a Pokeball, perhaps?"  
  
"Ok, ok. Calm it down with the sarcasms, all right?"  
  
"Fine, fine. Come with me downstairs and I'll give you some money."  
  
Sean watched her proceed to the stairs. He collected Mudkip and hurried to his room. He had money, but his mother didn't know that. First he dressed, put his wallet in his left back pocket, then searched under a jumble of papers on his dresser for his wristwatch. He then rushed downstairs to his mother. She waited for him by the door, a twenty in hand. He snatched it from her, kissed her on the cheek, and called for Mudkip. A little blob of blue bounded down the steps and finished its travel by seating itself next to Sean's foot. He motioned Mudkip out the door.  
  
"See you later, Mom," he said before dashing out after Mudkip.  
  
"Bye, Sweetie!"  
  
Sean soon found that Alicia had been wrong, dead wrong. Mudkip had no less energy now than if he had had thirty cans of Coke for breakfast along with a few hundred Snickers. Sean gasped for breath after sprinting after Mudkip for a couple hundred yards. It was extremely fast for such a small Pokemon.   
  
Mudkip, realizing Sean had stopped chasing him, stopped and waited for him to catch up. He eventually did, and Mudkip started its "pick me up" maneuver on Sean. Sean reached for the little Pokemon and brought him to rest in his arms. He then continued his journey.   
  
The forest was a few yards in front of him, but it looked much more inviting than the day before. Taking the path, Sean could make it through the forest in a little under an hour.   
  
The path was cluttered with a debris from a recent thunderstorm, but Sean had no problem making his way through it. Mudkip seemed to enjoy the ride. It closed its eyes and rested its head against Sean's chest.   
  
Twenty minutes later, they were still venturing through, but Mudkip had fallen asleep. Sean recalled the day before...His nightmares were driving him into his head, thinking of a reason for why they were occuring. His bumbling had led him to an uncharted part of the forest (at least to his mind) where he found, and saved Mudkip. It was hard to believe that it was only a day ago.   
  
Later in the day he had thought of his father. He had been sitting with Mudkip, and he had realized what he needed to do. He needed to find his father, and the only logical answer he could think of at the time was Pokemon. He would have to train them and search the globe until he had found his father. He would give anything to be with him.   
  
Sean fell from his head, day dreams ending. The forest's edge was in sight. He jiggled Mudkip around in his arms, who wearily aroused from his nap. He shook off his sleep as he spotted the sparkling white buildings of Kingston. Sean stopped and searched the scenery for anywhere he might be able to purchase a Pokeball. Nothing in particular stood out, so he ventured down the hill to the city.   
  
Kingston, Sean noticed, was a lot bigger than he had ever imagined. Especially when he didn't have the expert tour guide of his mother guiding him through its winding streets. In about the middle of the city he found a street marked simply as "Main." Thinking it pretty self-explanatory, he followed the street left until he found a large section of shops. In the rush of yesterday he hadn't noticed, but the Pokemon Center was only about a block from where he was.   
  
His search of shops commenced. He passed "Pokemon Fashion Boutique," a lively little store. Women were going in and out like water during osmosis. The dresses in the window were tiny, seeming to fit smaller Pokemon. A sign read, "Bellossom sizes in stock: PKMN sizes 14, 16, and 18."   
  
Sean simply stared at this. He wondered what would ever possess a trainer to torture their Pokemon with a dress. He shook his head and moved on. He viewed "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities." He figured that would work, but he had enough money to spend in a first-rate store.  
  
Walking about another block he spotted the Pokemon Center. Directly across the street from it was a large and extremely crowded building named, "Pokemon Mart."   
  
"There we go," he said, looking down at Mudkip.  
  
"Kip," Mudkip replied happily.  
  
He approached the Mart and squeezed through the endless stream of people. He felt like he was fighting the tide. After five minutes of sweaty bodies pushing against him, he made it inside. It was no less crowded. He gathered all of his money and counted it. He had a grand total of $34.50 to spend. Looking up, he spotted a sign on the wall that read, "Pokeballs. Regular through Love, we've got 'em all!" Sean made his way to the area. He knew exactly what he was looking for. A standard red and white Pokeball. He wanted nothing more or less. He wouldn't be drawn into any scams.  
  
A clerk at the counter, seeing Sean and Mudkip, greeted him in a friendly fashion.  
  
"Hello, sir! May I interest you in any of our fine merchandise today?," she asked.  
  
It was so corny it sounded robotic.  
  
"Uhh...Yes. I would like a standard Pokeball please."  
  
"Just one? Are you a new Trainer, sir?"  
  
"Yes, but what does that have to.."  
  
"You can't get off as a Trainer with just one Pokeball!," she interupted.  
  
"Ok! Sheesh, I'll take three," he'd crumpled and given in as easy as that.  
  
At the end of his visit to the Pokeball counter, he'd bought three Standard Pokeballs, a belt to clip his Pokeballs to, and five Potions with which to heal his Pokemon, spending a grand total of $15.75. He still needed a book, or some kind of guide to training and keeping a Mudkip, but his cash being depleted as it was, and the only books of the kind sold in the store being expensive hard-covers, he exited and headed to the secondhand shop he had seen down the street.   
  
The windows were tinted light grey and the window display was dusty and had only a single Pokeball in it, but Sean went inside. The inside was homey. He didn't feel hurried as he looked around at the items on the shelves. Despite the name, half of the products in the store were brand new, just lower priced. He couldn't help but notice that, besides the clerk with their face burried in a magazine behind the counter, he was the only person inside the store.   
  
The shelves were fully stocked with goods about any kind of Pokemon you could dream of, but all he really wanted was one on Mudkip. He surveyed such books as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pokemon Training" and "What to do if Attacked by..." He continued his search. None of the books seemed to be strictly related to Mudkip. So instead, he picked up a large hard-covered book that seemed to be quite a few years old. Opening it to the Table of Contents, he saw that the book was very informative even in subjects he didn't know existed. So he made up his mind to buy the book and made his way through the shelves to the check-out counter.   
  
The clerk didn't even seem to know he was there. He could see flowing brunette hair from over the top of the magazine. He guessed it was a girl. Clearing his throat, the clerk lowered the magazine. He was right, very right. The girl was immensely beautiful. Her hair reached the small of her back, and it glistened in the light shining in through the window. Her eyes were green-hazel, resembling the color of the leaf of a Chikorita. Sean figured she was around his age. Mudkip chirped from his arms. She smiled at Mudkip and her teeth dazzled Sean in the sunlight.  
  
Looking up, she asked,"Well, hello. How are you doing today?"  
  
Sean took a breath to steady himself before answering,"Very well. My Pokemon and I were just picking up a few items." He used Mudkip as a focus as she seemed to be interested in it.   
  
"Oh. I see you've only got one item..Where did you buy your other ones?," she asked.  
  
"Over at the Pokemon Mart, but they were crowded and all the other items were over-priced, so we came here. It seemed more comfortable," he replied.  
  
"Yeah, we try to keep it more...cozy here. That damn place over there takes ALL of our business. There's not very much we can do to stay opened anymore.."  
  
"Well, you've officially got my service," Sean answered.  
  
"That's sweet of you," she giggled.  
  
"By the way, my name's Sean," Sean took a chance and extended a hand to her.  
  
"Meredith," she responded, while stretching her hand to shake Sean's.   
  
He loved the sound of every syllable. It just spilled off of your tongue like water off of a duck's back.   
  
The conversation seemed to have died, so he set Mudkip on the counter and pretended to rearrange some items in his hands. Mudkip took the opportunity to extend his nose to Meredith and sniff her. She enjoyed Mudkip's attention, Mudkip enjoyed hers, and Sean knew his plan had taken effect, at least for now.   
  
"He seems to like you," Sean said laughing.  
  
"Yeah. He's really cute. What kind of Pokemon is he?," she asked.  
  
"A Mudkip. He's a duel-type Pokemon. Water and Ground," he had just fired off every bit of information Nurse Joy had given him about Mudkip in three sentences. It was best to get the conversation over with before she asked something he didn't know.  
  
"What kind of moves does he know?" Shit.   
  
Sean's brain frantically searched for an answer, his heart hoped a miracle, and all the while, Meredith stared at him, still in flirting mode, convinced he knew what he was talking about.   
  
Nothing came to mind, but in that exact second a man pushed his way through a curtain towards the back and entered the store. He took one look at Sean and exclaimed,  
  
"Oh my God, a customer!"  
  
The man was tall. Brown hair was full and vibrant atop his head and his were deep blue. He wore a stainless white apron with the symbol PRSC printed in large green letters on the left side.  
  
Both Sean and Meredith laughed at this. The man even joined in. He had at least made Meredith forget her question.   
  
"Sean, this is my father, Arnold, he owns and runs this shop. Daddy, this is Sean. He says he likes us more than the Pokemon Mart," she giggled.  
  
Arnold eyed Sean. He knew what he liked, but he didn't say anything about it.  
  
"Well, hello, Son. What're you buying today?"  
  
"Uhh.."The Ultimate Pokemon Manual." It seems like a pretty good guide, so I'll give it a shot," Sean answered.  
  
"Pretty good? It's ULTIMATE!," he bellowed in his best impression of a super hero voice.  
  
Sean chuckled and Meredith shook her head. Mudkip replied by coughing some mud at him, which stuck to his apron and dribbled slowly down his front. Arnold had been totally devoid to Mudkip's presence until this moment. He ran up to him and picked him up. Mudkip didn't seem nearly as happy about this attention as he did Meredith's.  
  
"Well, hello little man! How are we today?," Arnold shouted towards Mudkip.  
  
"Kip," Mudkip stated blankly.  
  
"Not too lively is he?," he directed towards Sean.  
  
"He's not normally so quiet, I don't know what's wrong with him."  
  
Mudkip wriggled out of Arnolds grip and returned to the countertop between Sean and Meredith. It nuzzled Meredith's palm and shut its eyes. All three stared at it.   
  
"Well, Son. I'd say you should buy that book if you ever plan to read it!," Arnold exclaimed, seeming slightly hurt.  
  
Sean didn't want to end the visit, but he forked over the $10.00 and walked towards the exit with Mudkip in hand. Before leaving, he looked back.  
  
"Maybe I'll be back soon. I may need some Potions or something."  
  
"Maybe I'll sell them to you," Meredith giggled.  
  
Sean felt himself reddening, so he said his goodbyes and left in a hurry. He found a park in the middle of town and sat down with Mudkip next to him. There were many Pokemon running aroundthe park, and Mudkip was eyeing them all with excitement in his eyes. Sean noticed this.  
  
"Go play, but stay close, ok?, Sean asked.  
  
"Mudkip!," Mudkip answered exuberantly.  
  
He bounded off towards a Horsea playing in the wading pool. Sean took the time to pull out his new book. He opened to the first page and read,  
  
"Pokemon training is a rough and sometimes complicated profession. All Pokemon have their own unique qualities and traits that set them apart from any other Pokemon. Like humans, no two Pokemon are the same. Even in the same species, no one Pokemon is exactly the same as any other."  
  
He skipped ahead a few pages.  
  
"Catching Pokemon: New Trainers are normally issued a Pokemon by a League Official or noted Pokemon Researcher. Other circumstances often occur in which a Pokemon will befriend a Trainer before capture. In these situations, the Pokemon is recommended to be captured, so as to prevent any other Trainers from taking the opportunity to themselves, whether it be on purpose or by accident."   
  
Sean stopped reading and pulled out a Pokeball from his Pokemon Mart bag. The spherical red and white object glistened in the sun. Sean tapped the small circular buttonin the middle of it and it grew in size. The ball was now to capture size, and he called Mudkip over to him.  
  
He was unsure of what to do as Mudkip strolled to the bench and leapt up to sit next to him.  
  
"Mudkip...(What was he going to say?) I wanted to know...(This sounds really dumb)...I'm..I'm going to become a Trainer, and...I...Well..Will you be my Pokemon?," finally out, he waited anxiously for Mudkip to make some sign that he had even heard him.  
  
Sean didn't know what to expect, but Mudkip jumping onto his lap, reaching up, and licking his face until it shone with saliva definitely hadn't crossed is mind. He grabbed Mudkip by his underside and placed him on the bench to prevent from drowning and set the Pokeball down next to him. Mudkip sniffed the ball and a crimson light immediately shot from it. It engulfed Mudkip, who didn't struggle, and opened to admit the Pokemon to its new home. The ball didn't move once. Mudkip had been captured. Sean stared down at it, a look of awe of his face. His first Pokemon had been captured not by battling, but by friendship.   
  
He picked the ball up and tossed it on the ground. He didn't want Mudkip to have to stay in there. The ball dropped and made a small click as it hit. It opened and a crimson light came out again, this time forming into the shape of Mudkip and depositing him on the ground. Mudkip blinked a few times then jumped into Sean's lap and began to cleanse his face with spit again. He turned his face away and pushed Mudkip backwards, laughing. Mudkip then took his tongue and wrapped it around one of Sean's fingers. Sean looked down and stared.  
  
"Kip?," it asked innocently.  
  
"That's my finger. What're ya gonna do, eat it?"  
  
Mudkip let go and sat there, staring blankly at Sean. Sean stood up, grabbed Mudkip, and began to scratch his fin. Mudkip closed his eyes again. Grabbing his book and Mudkip's Pokeball he began to walk back towards Main Street. He still had a few bucks and he hadn't eaten all day.   
  
A grocery store lay opposite the street from the park, so after checking that no cars were coming, Sean dashed across the street with Mudkip. Outside the store were a couple of vending machines. One was labeled "Candy and Sodas," the other, "Pokemon Treats." His stomach growled. Mudkip shot him a glance and he went to the Candy machine first. He bought a Pepsi and a bag of Lay's Potato Chips. Then at the "Pokemon Treats" machine, he looked for, and purchased a small bag of food specifically made for Water-types. A water jug was nearby with cups, so he filled one with water and made his way to the curb to sit down. He opened the bag for Mudkip and dumped a few treats on the sidewalk for him to eat. Mudkip had been ravenous. It ate all of the food in about thirty seconds then sat next to its Trainer until he gave him his water, which Sean did. Sean ate his lunch quickly and stood up, calling for Mudkip to follow him. He was going back towards the borders of town. The day had been great so far, but they still had the walk home through the forest.   
  
The sky was turning to reds and pinks when they exited the city's boudaries. Night was on its way and they had to make it home before the forest was too dark to see in.   
  
"Come on, Mudkip, we'll have to run through the forest."  
  
"Kip!"  
  
Sean took off at a jog, Mudkip at his side.   
  
The trees and bushes passed by quickly. The forest went from thin to extremely dense to thin again in a matter of fifteen minutes. Their jog was exhilarating. Sean breathed harder and harder, but his feet kept going. Mudkip was happily jogging next to him the whole time.   
  
After twenty minutes of jogging, the forest's edge came into view and Sean could make out the lights of his house as the sun made its descent behind the hillside. Sean walked the rest of the way home. Walking in, he told his mother of their day's events and went up to bed.   
  
It was near midnight. Mudkip had been asleep for a few hours and Sean was completely immersed in his book. The Table of Contents had pointed him to a section on Weaknesses and Resistances of certain types of Pokemon. He was learning many things about Pokemon he had never known.   
  
After reading over it, he flipped back to the Table of Contents.   
  
"Full color PokeDex," it read.   
  
Sean turned to the page. Another Table of Contents. This one containe the names of every Pokemon imaginable. Sean scanned the list for Mudkip. There he was. Number 258. He flipped to the desired page and began to read.  
  
"Mudkip: A newer species of Pokemon only discovered in the last few years. (Given this book was older, it still made him feel special to own one) A dual-type Pokemon, Mudkip retains the powers of both the Water and Ground elements. Its Speed is mediocre and its Attack and Defensive powers are slightly heightened. In the area of Special Attack, Mudkip is a marvel. Its Water Attacks fire with great accuracy and power. However, in the area of Special Defense, Mudkip is very lacking. Grass-type moves are extremely effective on Mudkip. When battling a Grass-type with Mudkip, take caution. One of Mudkip's greatest qualities, however, is the fact that its Water weakness of Electricity is cancelled out by its Ground-Type.  
  
Mudkip's Moveset: (Note: Most moves are not learned until much later on in Mudkip's evolutionary tree) Tackle Lvl.1, Growl Lvl.1, Mud-Slap Lvl.6, Water Gun Lvl.10, Bide Lvl. 15, Mud Shot Lvl.16 (1st Evolution ONLY), Foresight Lvl 19, Mud Play Lvl.24, Take Down Lvl. 28, Whirlpool Lvl.33, Muddy Stream Lvl.37(1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), Protect Lvl.37, Hydro Pump Lvl.42 (Mudkip ONLY), Earthquake Lvl.46 (1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), and Reckless Lvl.46. Mudkip's final three moves are extremely powerful. Take caution in using on Pokemon lower than Level 30. Serious injury or death could occur.  
  
Sean looked up from his book and down to Mudkip. How could such a tiny little Pokemon be capable of killing something? Only time would tell. Sean closed his book and shut his eyes. Dreamless sleep once again engulfed him.   
  
When Sean awoke the next day, Mudkip was again terrorizing Alicia downstairs. Sean took the opportunity to wash himself in peace. After brushing his teeth, he went back to his room, grabbed his wallet, watch, and a red and black bandana, which he promptly tied around his head. Looking around the room, he found his bookbag. Sean never liked to carry many books, so it was only big enough to maybe fit Mudkip inside. He placed his Pokemon Guide, some socks, underwear, and a few plain white t-shirts in it. He had planned to train out in the field and spend the night there with Mudkip. Finally, he grabbed his belt and his three Pokeballs and attached them to it. Fastening it around his waist, he made his way downstairs.   
  
Mudkip heard him coming. The little blue Pokemon dashed across the living room and pelted Sean in the gut as he came down the stairs.   
  
"Good morning, Little Bugger. Nice to see you to," he said chuckling.  
  
"Mudrr!"  
  
Sean strolled into the kitchen to talk to his mom. She was wearing a pink tank top and black jeans, again pouring over the stove.   
  
"Morning, Mom."   
  
"Good morning, Dear. Sleep well?"  
  
"Better than I have in a while, yeah. I stayed up late reading about Mudkip. Pretty interesting stuff."  
  
"Oh, ok. Well what's today's agenda?"  
  
"I think we'll train a bit today."  
  
She shot him a skeptical look that he didn't catch,"Ok, Dear. Be careful. And take some lunch with you, unless you're planning on coming back."  
  
"Yeah, I'll grab some."  
  
Sean made a couple sandwiches for himself and picked up some cereal and a banana for Mudkip. Making his way for the front door, he picked up a pair of sunglasses and placed them in front of his eyes. Calling to Mudkip, he walked out the door.  
  
Training was a bit strange for Sean. One because he'd never done it before, and two because Mudkip seem to want to pay attention to any one thing at a time.   
  
"Mudkip, use your Mud-Slap on that rock over there," he commanded, pointing at a small boulder in the center of a patch of tall grass.  
  
Mudkip half-listened. He spit the mud, then chased after a butterfly that was passing by. Sean rolled his eyes and went after him again. If only his father could see him now...  
  
Finally catching mudkip, he carried him back to the rock. Sitting him on the top, Sean started to plea with him..  
  
"Mudkip...Do you know why I'm becoming a Trainer?"  
  
"Kicha?"  
  
"My father is a Trainer...He's always gone, and I want to become a Trainer to travel the world, find him, and be with him. And to make my dream come true, you're going to have to cooperate with me one hundred percent."  
  
A look of concern appeared on Mudkip's face. He leapt from the rock and stood in a fighter's stance facing the rock, waiting for further command. Sean's face brightened immediately. The little Pokemon was going to help him after all.   
  
"Mudkip, let's try this again. Mud-Slap that rock."  
  
Mudkip performed. Their training was going brilliantly. Sean discerned by the fact that Mudkip couldn't use more than his Water Gun, that he wasn't anywhere above the Level of fourteen. Despite Mudkip's lack of moves, their training went on for hours. They had already eaten lunch, gone back to training for an hour and taken a break by the time Sean called it off. Mudkip still didn't seem in the least bit tired, however.  
  
Sean and Mudkip were sleeping in the warm summer sun, when a man appeared from the forest. He spotted Sean's house in the distance and began to walk towards it. A glint to his left caught his eye. A Pokeball on the ground near a person who was taking a nap. A Trainer, perhaps? He ventured through the mess of weeds and rocks to Sean.   
  
The stranger cleared his throat and Sean quickly sat up. The noise Sean made roused Mudkip. In and out of focus Sean's eyes went. When finally they realigned, they immediately were set upon the stranger. An older man, in his early forties. He was heavyset with dark brown eyes and a black beard. On his head was a Mexican-style hat, a sombrero. His back carried a pack much like Sean's. Around his large waist was a belt with six Pokeballs attached to it. His shirt was a cheap Hawaiian flower pullover, and he wore flip-flops on his feet. Not the best gear for travelling.   
  
"A Trainer, I'm guessing?," he asked in a gruff kind of voice.  
  
"Yes, and you are?," Sean answered.  
  
"The name's Mark Ploy, Pokemon extraordinaire!"  
  
Sean thought him to be a little full of himself.  
  
"Son, could I interest you in a battle?"  
  
Sean looked down at Mudkip, who looked back. A glint of awareness was Mudkip's eyes. He was ready. If Mudkip was ready, then he was too.  
  
"All right. Just let me grab something from my bag."  
  
He walked a few feet to his bookbag and pulled his Pokemon Guide from it. He then returned and stood in front of the Trainer, a look of determination in his eyes.  
  
Mark pulled a Pokeball from his belt and held it in his right hand. He then spoke to Sean,  
  
"How many Pokemon are each going to use? You choose, it doesn't matter to me."  
  
"Umm..Better make it one. The only Pokemon I have is Mudkip."  
  
"Very well," Mark stated,"Ready yourself, young Trainer. You've never faced a Trainer as tough as me."  
  
That was a bit of an understatement..He'd never even faced an easy Trainer.  
  
"All right...," Sean said a bit more unconfidently,"I call Mudkip."  
  
The Trainer was ready with his Pokemon by the time Mudkip had made his approach to the field. "Machop, go!," he called as he threw his Pokeball to the ground in front of him.   
  
Machop appeared. A small and very muscular Pokemon, Machop easily outweighed Mudkip. It also had a foot advantage in the height area. Sean stopped and opened his Pokemon Guide. The ToC pointed him to Machop and he quickly flipped to it.   
  
"Machop: A Basic Pokemon of the Fighting-Type. Machop adore their muscles which they regularly work out. Machop are trained in the art of Fighting moves and weild such attacks as Karate Chop and Low Kick."  
  
Sean knew that neither of Mudkip's attributes were very effective against Machop, but his strategy was already set, keep Mudkip as far from Machop as possibly.   
  
"Shall we start?," Mark called over to him.  
  
"Ready whenever you are."  
  
Machop and Mudkip both went into fighter's stances.  
  
"Machop! Tackle it!"  
  
Machop wasted no time in attacking. It rushed Mudkip with surprising speed and was on it before Sean could utter a command. Mudkip lied on the ground, shaken. It rose quickly to its feet, however, and headbutted Machop in the gut. Machop placed a hand on its stomach and Sean took his chance.  
  
"Mudkip! Back up and use your Water Gun!"  
  
Mudkip, hearing its Trainer's command, jumped back three feet, took hold of the ground with its back claws and launched a full stream Water Gun attack from its mouth. A jet of water surged toward Machop with incredible speed and before Machop could dodge, it had been swept off its feet by a ferocious assault of raging water. Machop stood up slowly, losing its footing a couple of times in the slick mudthat formed from Mudkip's attack. Sean didn't want to lose his opportunity.  
  
"Mudkip! Tackle it!"  
  
Mudkip leapt into action. The tiny Pokemon careened toward Machop, each step becoming quicker, steps becoming bounds, bounds becoming a full-out sprint. Mudkip, reaching its destination, straightened its body out and connected headlong with Machop's chest. Machop flew backward a few feet and landed on its back. Mudkip landed were he had hit Machop, in the mud. Machop was slightly quicker to regain its stature this time. Now it had firm ground, but it was much more tired than before.  
  
A look of rage was on Mark's face. A vein was pulsating in his forehead, and he seemed to be ready to explode.   
  
"Machop! Low Kick!"  
  
Machop took a single breath then began at a run toward Mudkip. About three feet from him, Machop sprawled his body flat on the ground and kicked Mudkip's feet out from under it. The tiny Pokemon flew into the air, and as Machop slid under him, it grabbed Mudkip by the foot. An evil smile appeared on Mark's face, as if he had a genius idea.  
  
"Machop! Seismic Toss!," Mark called loudly.  
  
"What's that?," Sean asked quietly.  
  
Machop lifted then slammed it down to propel itself into the air, Mudkip still in hand. Mudkip's eyes shot to Sean, awaiting its next move. Sean had no idea what it was, but he called a command anyway.  
  
"Mudkip! Water Gun the ground! Hold it until Machop loses its balance!"  
  
Mudkip quickly did so. The Water Gun it shot toward the ground effectively tilted Machop in midair. It lost its train of thought and began to fall. It fell the full distance and landed in an odd heap on the ground. Mudkip landed on top of it. Jumping backwards, Mudkip regained his positioning and awaited further instruction. By the time Sean had thought of what to do, Machop was on its knees.   
  
"Mudkip, finish it off with a Mud-Slap attack!," he wondered if it would actually finish it off.  
  
Mudkip turned its head and spit a load of mud onto its tail. It then turned sideways and heaved the load of mud straight at Machop. A direct hit to the face, Machop struggled to get the mud from his nostrils and eyes. The second half of the attack came without warning. Mudkip ran at Machop with an insane rush of adrenaline. In the same instant Machop had cleared his face of mud. It was too late. Mudkip was turned sideways in the air, and before Machop had a chance to dodge, Mudkip put his body into a full turn and using the momentum, smacked Machop to the ground with a final swipe of its tail.   
  
Machop was motionless. Mudkip stayed in its battle position until Mark recalled it. Mark issued a reassuring coo to Machop before walking to Sean to congratulate him. He extended a hand, they shook, and Mark slowly walked off towards the forest from whence he came. Sean hadn't spoken a word since the end of the match. He stood there, staring at Mudkip. He was as proud of the little Pokemon as a father would be of a son. He fell to his knees, arms outstretched and waited as Mudkip galloped to him and flung itself into his embrace.  
  
They didn't return home that night. Both of them were caught up in the battle. Sean never had greater respect for anything in his life than he did for Mudkip right now. The little Pokemon had come through for him as he did for it, and a bond was formingbetween the two that could never be broken. The beginnings of a friendship had passed. The relationship between a Trainer and Pokemon was forming.   
  
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Closing Note: This chapter was extremely fun to write. When I get wrapped up into a story, as you can tell, they can get lengthy. Butyou can't deny it was pretty exciting, right? I'm on a roll, so I may have another chapter up tomorrow. No promises, though. What I DO promise is that they will be leaving on their journey. Stopping first in Kingston, but still going. Please Review! *Espeonage* 


	3. On the Road At Last

Author's Note: Whoo. Back for another installment, and as of right now, Chapter Two still hasn't been put on the website. I am completely immersed in this story. Don't worry, this Chapter will include a LOT more action than the previous two. I also see some more major battles coming up in the near future. So cross your fingers, hold onto your butts, and be patient as I take you through Chapter Three of..  
  
A Renewed State of Mind  
By: Espeonage  
  
  
Chapter Three: On the Road at Last  
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Sean's back and neck were completely stiff from the night he'd spent on the hard ground. He hadn't realized until late in the night that he'd forgotten a pillow, and didn't have the right state of mind to go home and get one. Getting up was extremely slow going and their disheveled campsite didn't make anything any better for Sean. Picking up his randomly strewn items, he filled his pack and called Mudkip back from running around the tall grasses and rocks of the field. The previous day's battle still played freshly in his head and he could hardly wait to go home and tell his mother before he headed towards Kingston for the third time in three days. But this time was different. This time he didn't plan on coming back.  
  
The walk home was brisk. The pain in Sean's neck had woken him up before the sun had risen and dew still coated the grasses and bushes of the field. Mudkip kept pace with Sean's quick strides and sang itself a song as it walked.   
  
"Mud Kip Mudmud Kip..." it sang without much rhyme or rhythm.   
  
Sean snapped his fingers along with Mudkip's song, mostly to humor it, and continued at his quick pace back the house. Upon reaching the front porch, he could hear the sounds of cooking from the kitchen. Alicia was humming a slow song to herself. Slipping upstairs unnoticed, Sean showered, brushed his teeth, and washed his face. He then returned to his room. It looked to be the last time he'd see it in a long while. Gathering a few last-minute necessities such as jeans, deoderant, boxers, and his heavy coat, he was ready to go. His bag was packed tight, Pokeballs attached securely to his belt, and Mudkip was in his arms as he headed down the stairs, much less quietly. His mother appeared at the bottom of the stairs, a bit surprised, as she didn't know he'd even been home.   
  
"Oh, Sean. I was hoping it was you. What are your plans for today?," this seemed to be a routine question for her by now.   
  
"I'm going to start my journey today, Mom."  
  
"You're leaving? Today..? All right..," she finished her whine and walked solemnly back to the kitchen.   
  
Sean followed. She must of known he was going to start his quest eventually. And he couldn't wait forever.  
  
"Mom, what's wrong?," he stupidly asked. He knew perfectly well what was wrong.  
  
"I don't want to be left alone..."  
  
"You could always catch a Pokemon," he snickered at this, but she just glared at him.   
  
"Oh, cut it out, Sean! Just get going if you're leaving!," she practically yelled at him.  
  
Sean was slightly taken aback. It definitely wasn't what he'd expected from her. He was walking, awe-struck, toward the door, when his mother burst through the kitchen door and wrapped her arms around Sean, literally crying onto his shoulder. Again, he was very taken aback. Not used to seeing his mother in this state, he put a reassuring arm around her and rubbed her back.   
  
"Mom, this isn't "goodbye." I'll be back, ya know."  
  
She wiped the tears from her face,"I know that, Sean," sighing, she asked,"At least have breakfast with me before you go?"  
  
He didn't decline. One last home cooked meal would be depressing, but the look on his mother's face was more than he could stand. He left Mudkip in the living room to its own devices and sat down in the dining room, waiting for his mother. She brought out bacon and eggs and sat down next to him. He ate slowly. Alicia didn't touch hers. She just stared at her son, a mixed look of saddness and pride in her eyes. Sean broke the silence.   
  
"Mudkip and I had our first battle yesterday," he'd been planning on telling her before the "episode" anyway.   
  
"Really?," she perked up slightly,"How'd it go?"  
  
"Surprisingly well. We make a great team. The guy used a Machop, it was tough. Mudkip handled it, though."  
  
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be, Sean.."  
  
Sean definitely hadn't expected THAT. His mother's sad attitude had gotten the impression into him that this was going to be a sob-fest. He didn't even think for second that she'd be giving him information like that.   
  
Sean looked up at her. She seemed to have finished. Her sad expression had been wiped clear and her words came out clear and resolute.  
  
"I truely think you will become a great Trainer, Sean..."  
  
A cool breeze made its way through the window, chilling the two of them.   
  
Sean stood and said,"Mom, it's time I left. I'm heading for Kingston again," determination rang in his voice.   
  
Alicia didnt say a word, but with a nod she followed him to the door. The two embraced and she kissed him on the cheek.   
  
"I love you, Sean. I'll be here waiting for you when you get back."  
  
"I love you too, Mom. And I know you will be," he turned his head back toward the living room,"Come on, Mudkip! Time to go!"  
  
Mudkip dashed over to him and seated itself on Sean's foot. A last look into his mother's eyes and he was off. The trail looked different today. Darker, yes. The sun still hadn't began its ascent over the hillside and the morning was cool and damp. But something else as well. A sense of adventure coursed through Sean's veins. His first day on the road. Mudkip seemed slightly less playful than normal. Sean's attitude radiated from him and the little Pokemon could sense it.   
  
The forest again loomed ahead. It was again dark and intimidating, but this time nothing plagued Sean's mind. He was set and they passed through it with little trouble.   
  
Kingston was just waking up as they reached its borders. The sun had begun to settle itself in the sky, but it was nowhere past 9:30. Their first stop would be the Pokemon Center. Sean vaguely knew his way around town this time, and he navigated to the Center in little time at all. Only one Joy was present, but she happily attended to Mudkip's check-up as the few Trainers who had stayed the night roused themselves and their Pokemon from slumber.   
  
"Here you go, Sweetie. Your Mudkip is in fine shape."  
  
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Sean answered a deep tone.   
  
His words had drifted off before he could speak any more words. A poster on the wall to his right had caught his eye. He walked up to it and read:  
  
"Pokemon League Tournament: Are you qualified to be the world's best Pokemon Trainer? Do you think you have what it takes to defeat the League's Masters? If so, enter the Pokemon League Challenge. All you need to do is earn eight badges in select towns and you qualify to participate in the most highly celebrated tournament the world over! (Sign ups for the League in Pallet Town, New Bark Town, or your local Pokemon Center)"  
  
Nurse Joy noticed his interest in the poster.   
  
"Itching to try out your skills in a Gym Battle?," she giggled.  
  
If his father was any good at his profession, he would have to be in this competition. And if he couldn't find him on the road, he could definitely find him at the Tournament.  
  
"Yeah, I think I could do pretty well in the League," he boasted to Nurse Joy,"How do I sign up?"   
  
"All right, first you need a Starting Pokemon. Mudkip qualifies, so you're set there. Next, you'll need to fill out this Registration Form. You can take a seat over there. Here's a pen," she handed it to him and returned to the back room to talk to a Chansey while he filled it out.  
  
The questions were pretty straight forward. Name, address, birthday, starting Pokemon, anything you'd expect to be on a Registration Form. (Depending on what that may be) He finished in little time at all and returned to the counter. Nurse Joy took it from him and scanned it onto the Center's computer system.   
  
"I'll have this sent to the League's office in no time at all. But in the meantime," she held a finger in the air as if she had just remembered something," you'll need a PokeDex."  
  
She motioned for him to follow her. They walked to a room in the back and she went directly to a file cabinet. Reaching in the top drawer, she pulled out a PokeDex, still wrapped in its plastic shipping case. It was black and shiny, almost like volcanic glass, striped diagonally across the front was a streak of silver. Nurse Joy went to her desk, pulled a pair of scissors from the drawer and cut the top from the casing. Plucking the PokeDex from its plastic home, she opened it, pressed a few buttons and pointed it towards Sean. A flash went off, it had taken his picture.   
  
"Thanks for the warning," Sean whined, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, the picture's fine."  
  
She then typed in his name and his Trainer ID Number before handing it to him.   
  
"That should do it. There's just a small entrance fee, and you'll be ready to start you Badge Quest," giggling again.  
  
"Fee? How much?"  
  
"Just ten dollars."  
  
He pulled out his wallet,"I've only got three-fifty."  
  
"Oh, that's all right. I'll lend you the rest. But only because you took my advice on becoming a Trainer," she finished off with wink.  
  
"Remembered that, huh?," he laughed, scratching the back of his head nervously.  
  
She didn't say anything. The other Trainers were almost all the way through their morning routines, and they would want their Pokemon checked up.  
  
"It was nice talking to you again, Sean. I'll see you later,' she said hurriedly.  
  
"You too. And thanks."  
  
"It was nothing at all," she finished their conversation with a friendly smile.  
  
Sean pocketed his new PokeDex and walked back into the lobby to scope out some of the other Trainers. He remembered Mudkip was in his Pokeball, and promptly released it onto the floor.   
  
"Kip?," it looked around to verify its surroundings.  
  
"Hey, Buddy. How do you feel about taking the Pokemon League Challenge?"  
  
"Kip? Mud!."  
  
Sean wasn't really sure if Mudkip knew what he was talking about, but it was still happy. Mudkip looked around, surveying the Pokemon it was surrounded by. A Marill caught its eye and it casually strolled over to chat. Sean, feeling he had nothing better to do at the time, followed his companion. He seated himself next to the Trainer that owned the Marill.  
  
"It's cute," he said blankly.  
  
"Yes, my darling little Marill definitely is, to say the very least, cute," she said snottily.  
  
Sean quickly decided that this wasn't a person he wanted much to with. She wasn't very attractive, and her attitude was very lacking in the kindness department.   
  
He stood up and strolled over to a few boys who were having a heated discussion about their prized Pokemon. He sat down in a chair, completing the circle. They seemed to have noticed he sat down, but they continued their discussion as if they he had been there the whole time.   
  
"Fire-Type moves blow any Pokemon out of the water. My Charmander rocks!," declared one boy.  
  
"Fire? Pshhaw! Electric moves are the only way to go. My Pichu is the strongest in the world," a second said.  
  
"You're both wrong. Fighting-Type moves and Pokemon are the best in world. What could either of you been thinking? Morons," the third remarked. All it granted him was a slug to the face by each of the other contestants.  
  
A wrestling match ensued. Each boy took his turn kicking, punching, and clawing each of the others as they rolled around on the floor. After a few minutes of scurrying, they stopped, exhausted. Sean had been watching the whole thing. The Fire supporter looked up at him and said:  
  
"Why don't we let this kid decide?"  
  
"Yeah!," said the Fighting supporter,"Which type's really the best?"  
  
Sean rested his head on his hand and replied,"Water."  
  
"WATER?!," they screamed in unision,"What kind of sissy uses Water-types?," they chuckled.   
  
"I do," Sean replied, standing up, his furious piercing glare stripped through each of them,"And what do you have to say about it?"  
  
"I'd say my Pichu could beat your puny Water-Types into submission with a single attack," the Electric supporter bellowed,"And don't you even try to deny that it could."  
  
"It couldn't," Sean retorted.  
  
"You wanna take this outside?!," Nurse Joy had picked up on their screaming match,"No battles inside, Pokemon OR people!"  
  
"Not a bad idea...," the Pichu Trainer said,"I'll show you that a Water-Type stands no chance against an Electric-Type!"  
  
Sean recalled Mudkip on his way out. He followed the Trainer behind the Center where a large arena had been erected. The Pichu Trainer took his place on the right-hand side of the stadium and produced a Pokeball from his pocket. Sean strolled calmly to the left-hand box. He already had Mudkip's Pokeball in hand. Both bellowed their choices at the same time.  
  
"GO!!," each throwing their respective Pokeballs to the field.   
  
Pichu popped from its Pokeball, sparks flying from its cheeks. It looked to be a formidable opponent. Sean knew his strategy, however.   
  
"Pichu, this boy has insulted Electric Pokemon everywhere! He claims his puny Water-types can beat you! Are you gonna take that from a weakling like him?!"  
  
"ChuuUUUUU!!!," it squeaked menacingly.   
  
Mudkip then appeared in a flash from its Pokeball.   
  
"Kip?," it looked around blankly.  
  
"Mudkip! Battle number two buddy. This one means summoning a little pride in your type! He thinks his Pichu can beat you! What d'you have to say about that?," Sean asked trying to rile Mudkip up. It worked.  
  
"Mud! Kip!," it stared at Pichu with a blazing fury.  
  
(Trapt breaks in with the Battle Music, the chorus from Headstrong)  
  
"Back off! We'll take you on!  
Headstrong to take on anyone!  
I know that you are wrong!   
Headstrong, we're headstrong!  
Back off we'll take you on!   
Headstrong, to take on anyone!  
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"  
  
"Pichu, start it off with a Quick Attack!," Pichu's trainer yelled.  
  
Pichu took off. Almost literally. Pichu was much faster than Machop had been. Before Sean had seen where it had gone, Mudkip was rolling over itself on the ground. It recovered quickly, shaken slightly, but barely injured.  
  
"Good, a weak Attack..Perfect..," he thought to himself.  
  
"All right, Mudkip! Let's start off the battle with a Growl Attack!"  
  
Mudkip responded quickly.  
  
"MrrrAAA!," Mudkip wailed at Pichu. Sean's plan had been set into action.   
  
Pichu's attack was slightly lowered, but its Trainer obviously felt it was high enough to take down Mudkip on the offensive.  
  
"Pichu, Swift Attack, now!"  
  
Another lightning quick attack. Pichu leapt into the air and tiny glowing stars materialized behind it. With a loud cry, Pichu propelled them toward Mudkip.  
  
"Mudkip, hold your ground. There's no point in wasting your energy trying to dodge it."  
  
Mudkip planted its feet. All the Swift Attack had managed to do was slide Mudkip back a few inches. Besides that, he was unharmed, and still very much in the battle.   
  
"One more time, Mudkip, give it a Growl!," Sean ordered, a glint in his eye.  
  
The opposite Trainer began to laugh.   
  
"Your strategy is very lacking, maybe you should work on it when I send you home crying to your mommy!," Pichu's Trainer taunted.  
  
The tiny mouse laughed with its Trainer. It still hadn't dawned on them. It was about to.  
  
"Let's end this. Pichu, power up!," the Trainer bellowed to his Pokemon.  
  
Pichu lit up, its mouth curled into an evil smile. Sparks of electricity bounced over the ground around it. The sky itself seemed to darken as the Pichu built up power in its tiny little body.   
  
"No Water-Type could survive this!," he yelled to Sean,"Watch as your pathetic Pokemon fries! Pichu, Thunder Attack, now!"  
  
Pichu's energy build up was released into the air. The clouds engulfed the electricity and escalated its power before releasing its waves once again, directly toward Mudkip, who stood motionless awaiting any commands from its Trainer. Sean said nothing. He had planned on the Trainer resorting to electricity. The Thunder Attack hit home, creating a cloud of dust over the entire arena. Neither Trainer said a thing. A minute passed and the dust hadn't cleared, and the opposite Trainer finally said something.  
  
"Guess we know who the better Trainer is," he bragged,"Your pathetic Water-Type proves its inferiority in a one-on-one battle and all you can do is stand there. What are you smiling at?"  
  
The Trainer looked down and gasped. Mudkip looked up at the Trainer with a wicked glint in its eye.  
  
"Back off, we'll take you on!  
Headstrong to take on anyone!  
I know that you are wrong!  
Back off, we'll take you on!   
Headstrong to take on anyone!  
I know that you are wrong, and this is not where you beloooong!!"  
  
"But..How?!," he searched for some logical answer.   
  
"I figured you'd resort to electricity after I lowered Pichu's Attack enough. Because of Mudkip's Dual Ground-Type, I didn't have to worry about Pichu's Electric Attacks. And now that its tired out from charging up that Thunder, this'll be an easy win."  
  
It was amazing how in a matter of a day, Sean's confidence had risen to the point of creating a strategy.   
  
"No! Pichu still has plenty of fight left!," the other Trainer called out in desperation.  
  
"Think again. Mudkip, Water Gun!," Sean roared.  
  
Mudkip sprang into action. Rearing onto its hind legs it puffed its cheeks with water, building pressure. In the instant before it couldn't hold any more, it took aim and released its mouthful at Pichu who was too tired to dodge the blast. The Water Gun careened toward Pichu in a high pressured aqua blitz. Reaching its destination, the stream of water struck Pichu on every part of its body, being so small. It fell limply to the ground and struggled to get back to its feet.  
  
Its Trainer let out a growl,"Pichu, you'd better get up and fight!"  
  
Pichu agonizingly regained his feet, ready to stick it out to the last.   
  
"Mudkip, let's finish this off. Mud-Slap Attack!," Sean commanded.  
  
Mudkip, hardly the least bit weakened, spit the mud onto its tail. Turning sideways he catapulted the mud at his target. A direct shot, Pichu was reeling. The mud was firmly stuck to his face, and it couldn't see the oncoming attack. Its Trainer was a little slow in informing it of it as well.  
  
"Pichu!," it ears perked at the sound of its name," Quick, dodge right!"  
  
Much too late. Mudkip was already in the air. His tail cocked to the back, he pivoted in the air and released the force behind his tail right across Pichu's cheek. The tired Electric-Type spun once in the air before coming to a final rest in a fainted heap on the ground.   
  
The Trainer recalled his Pichu and ran, crying, back into the Pokemon Center. Sean didn't care enough about beating such a haughty Trainer to brag about his win. What he did do was run onto the field and lift Mudkip into the air. They shared a victory dance and walked back to the Center when they were finished. The other two Trainers who had been fighting followed him.  
  
"That was a truely amazing battle. Your Mudkip was awesome."  
  
"A Pokemon is only as strong as its Trainer wills it to be," Sean said, playing back his mother's words to his two new admiring fans.   
  
They stopped and stared at this. His words must have confused them. But they quickly recovered and began to follow him again.   
  
"But seriously, Nate's really good and you beat him like he was nothing! He even beat the Kingston Gym Leader!"  
  
"Gym Leader?," he queried. He'd known there was one here, and he planned on battling him, but he wanted more information on him first.   
  
"Yeah. He's a pretty young guy. No older than fifteen. I don't remember his name, though.  
  
"It couldn't be," Sean thought to himself, "What kind of Pokemon does he use?," he asked, recovering appearance  
  
"He only had one, but it was really good. Nate only won because it got hit with is Pichu's Thunder Attack," the kid rambled.  
  
"Yeah, but what WAS it?," Sean asked, getting impatient.  
  
"Umm..A Larval...Uhh...A Larvitar! I remember now! It was a Rock-type."  
  
"Ok, thanks, guys. I think that's all I'll need to know. I'm gonna go heal Mudkip then take a nap, see ya later."  
  
They said their goodbyes and were off. Sean proceeded to the desk and handed Joy Mudkip again. This would take longer than a regular check-up, so Sean took a nearby chair, whipped out his PokeDex,and typed in Larvitar.  
  
A robotic-sounding voice blared on in a monotone. It was almost painful to listen to, but very informative;"Larvitar: The larva Pokemon. Highly trained in the types of Rock and Dark, Larvitar attacks with greatly damaging attacks, such as Rock Slide and Crunch. What it has in Attack, it loses in its Speed category. Larvitar's evolutions are also extremely powerful. Tyranitar, Larvitar's final evolution is one of the strongest and most widely sought after Pokemon in the world."  
  
"Sounds like a toughie," Sean thought out loud,"This may take a little bit of planning.   
  
Nurse Joy was fairly quick in healing Mudkip. There was, however, no idle chit chat this time. Strict business. Sean took Mudkip from her and left the Pokemon Center. His goal was to find the Pokemon Gym, which would be quite a task, as he had only seen it once, with his mother, and they hadn't really been paying attention then as they hurried Mudkip to the Pokemon Center.   
  
Lost, yet again, Sean made his way for Main Street. The shops and main buildings were in sight again as he travelled down the long, uncurving street. Bored, he released Mudkip on the pavement to walk next to him. The Pokemon was tired. It had been napping in its ball and really wanted to get back. It showed its appreciation of being woken up by splattering Sean's perfectly white shoes with a layer of mud.   
  
"Urgh..Mudkip, you brat," he whined while kicking his shoes on the cement to shake it loose.   
  
Finishing his task, he looked up. A familiar shop sat across the street, "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities," read the sign. Maybe Meredith would be there today? Collecting Mudkip in his arms, he hastened into the street, dodging cars, as he made his way to the shop.  
  
As early as it was, Sean could see Meredith behind the counter as he came to the sidewalk. God, she was beautiful. He got a plan just then..He quickly walked to the door and pulled it open.   
  
"Good morning!," he beamed.  
  
"Well, hello. How are we doing today? And how are you Mudkip?," she asked, looking down at the little Water-type.  
  
"Kip!," it replied.  
  
"We beat some punk kid who was showing off up at the Pokemon Center. We're off to battle the Gym Leader now. Wanna come with us?"  
  
"Sure, but you better be careful. My money's on Jon," she teased.  
  
"Jon?," he asked aloud, to no one in particular, "Maybe it IS him.."  
  
They walked together down the street, Meredith leading the way. A large building soon came into view. The Gym was large, shaped out of a giant boulder. Windows had been carved and fitted with glass. The front doors were automatic, swinging opened as they walked forward. The receptionist was nowhere to be found. Sean recalled Mudkip.  
  
"She must be refereeing a match. That's the only time she ever usually leaves the front desk," Meredith stated.  
  
Together walking to the arena, they spotted the Gym Leader and his challenger in a fiercely contested match. Sean's eyes closed into slits as he realized who the Leader was. Predictions having been proven, he pulled Meredith off to the wall and watched the Match from there.  
  
The challenger was quite good. He and his Graveler made a marvelous team. But Jon and his Larvitar were better. It made up for its Speed disadvantage by practically reading its Trainer's mind. They were totally in tune with each other and at the simple call of an attack, Larvitar launched itself into a series of ferocious assaults.  
  
"This Match is about to end," the Trainer called to Jon, "My Graveler's Fissure'll finish off your Larvitar for good. You heard it Graveler. Let it fly!"  
  
Graveler raised a fist and struck the ground furiously. A crack split the Gym floor, widening as it travelled. Finishing its attack off, Graveler hurled itself into the air, returning to the earth in a ground-shattering smash. The floor itself split in two, leaving a gaping hole right in the middle of the room. Larvitar had been dodging in the meanwhile, leaping over cracks and all the while, heading for Graveler.  
  
"This is over," Jon stated, "Larvitar, Earthquake!"  
  
Its turn in play, Larvitar made its move. Launching itself from the security of the ground, Larvitar prepared for its attack. Gravity took in and just as it hit the ground, a strong motion from its legs pummeled the floor with the attack. The very ground they stood on shook. Meredith and Sean grabbed the wall for support and watched as Graveler, helpless to avoid the attack, was swallowed up into its own Fissure. The referee shouted out her decision:   
  
"This Match goes to the Gym Leader, Jon, and his Larvitar."  
  
"Why is it that whenever somebody brags that they're gonna win, they don't?," Meredith asked laughingly.  
  
Sean shrugged. He was too concerned about his Match with Larvitar to be very interested in what she had to say a the moment. Getting himself into the right state of mind wasn't going to be easy. He motioned for Meredith to follow and walked onto onto the field as Jon and opponent were shaking hands.   
  
"You and your Graveler fought well, Tom," he said, "I hope come back to battle me again some day."  
  
"Count on it," Tom said, walking out of the arena.  
  
Jon sprayed a Super Potion of Larvitar before recalling it. He sighed and threw his hair to one side. He wore the insignia of the Gym, a large black "K" surrounded on all sides by falling rocks. His eyes were dark brown, hair reddish-white color of a Ninetale's fur. He locked his eyes on Sean as his head turned their way. Eyes widening, he ran up to him, completely ecstatic to see his old friend.   
  
"Sean?! What the hell are you doing here?!," Jon asked.  
  
"I'm here to chalenge you for a Badge," Sean stated, a smile on his face.  
  
"You're a Trainer? Ow my arm!," he screamed, pretending a heart attack.   
  
"Screw you," Sean said jokingly. "I watched you and Larvitar battle. Pretty impressive."  
  
"We have been training together for three years. We should be relatively good by now. What kind of Pokemon do you have?," he questioned.  
  
Sean shook his head "no." He wouldn't give him the privelage of knowing that just yet.  
  
"When did you become the Leader here?"  
  
"The old Leader died about a year ago. Since I was the oldest in the Apprenticeship Program, I had to take over. I currently have ten pupils under me..I'm still learning myself. It's fun, though. Larvitar likes the challenge, and if he's up to it, I am."  
  
"Well you seem to be doing fine for yourself," Sean said.  
  
"Yeah..The money's great. The League even sends me supplies."  
  
"Where do we battle then?," Sean asked, his want to talk having been cut off, "We obviously can't do it here," he said, pointing at the ruined Gym floor.   
  
"Yeah, that happens all the time," he groaned,"We'll have to steal the practice field from my students out back. They can watch us."  
  
"Sounds like a winner," he said, adrenaline rising.  
  
He noticed Meredith had been standing there politely listening to their conversation. He suddenly felt sorry he'd brought her. She'd probably be bored out of her mind.  
  
"By the way, Jon. This is Meredith. Her father runs the Secondhand Pokemon shop in town."  
  
"How do you do?," he reached for her hand and kissed it. She giggled at this.  
  
"Show off..," Sean growled.  
  
A few minutes later, they were walking toward the back of the Gym. Jon lead them through doors and hallways. It seemed like a very long walk.   
  
"Dude, where's the Arena?," Sean asked, getting impatient.  
  
"Outside of town. We're walking under stores and other buildings right now. It's actually in the forest. There's a little clearing that we put it up in. It's much easier to battle there than in the middle of the city."  
  
Finally, they reached a door that read, "Practice Arena." The door flew opened on its own. Or so it appeared at first.  
  
"Oh, hello, Mathew," Jon said,"My opponent and I will need to use the Practice Arena for our match."  
  
"Ruined the other one again, huh?," Mathew snickered.  
  
"That'll be all Mathew, round up your classmates and get to the stands..Little snot," he added as Mathew walked off.  
  
The Arena was surrounded by forest. The traditional lines had been painted on the firm ground. A little girl stepped up and whispered something to Jon. He nodded and she ran happily to the sidelines and picked up two flags, one red, one green. Sean and Jon took their respective sides and Meredith walked to the stands and sat wth the class.   
  
Each of them grabbed their Pokeballs from their belts and enlarged them, ready for battle. The little girl with the flags looked at Jon, and he nodded.   
  
"This will be a One-on-One Pokemon Battle with no time-limit! First to lose one Pokemon is defeated. The Challenger is competing for the Cobblestone Badge," she raised the flags," Begin!"  
  
Simultaniously throwing their Pokeballs, they readied themselves for the oncoming battle. Their Pokeballs smacked to the ground, unleashing the contenders. Larvitar appeared with a cry, it locked itself into its battle position and awaited its opponent. Mudkip flashed out a second later, its skin was shiny, it must of rested itself in its Pokeball. There was general confusion from the crowd as they looked on at Mudkip. All but Sean, Jon, and Meredith laughed.  
  
"You expect to beat our master's Larvitar with THAT?!," Mathew squealed," Why not just throw sticks at it?"  
  
"Mathew, you know nothing. Sit down before you make an even bigger fool of yourself," Jon snapped,"If you paid any attention in class, any of you, you'd know that that small Pokemon over there has a very great advantage over Larvitar in type. It's dual Water-Ground combination make each of its types extremely effective against Larvitar. But...Type isn't everything," he sneered.  
  
He decided to begin the match, "Larvitar, Take Down!"  
  
Larvitar was already on the move. Its heavily armored body pistoned acoss the field as fast as it could. Which was, surprisingly enough, pretty fast for such a heavy Pokemon. Like a small tank it drove toward Mudkip, who stood perfectly still waiting for any sign of his Trainer's voice.  
  
"Mudkip, dodge to the right, then Tackle!"  
  
Mudkip responded. Diving to the right, he avoided Larvitar's charge and initiated one himself. Throwing his strong back legs into the Tackle Attack, Mudkip managed to knock Larvitar onto its side. It regained its footing in no time. The crowd looked on with increasing interest. This unknown Trainer wasn't doing half bad.  
  
"Larvitar, Leer!," Jon yelled over the oohs and ahhs of his students.   
  
Larvitar's eyes turned red. It stood to its full height and glared down at Mudkip. Afraid of the stare, Mudkip turned his head away.  
  
"Larvitar, Bite Attack!"  
  
"No, Mudkip! Turn around!"  
  
Not quick enough, Mudkip turned his face back to the fight to see Larvitar sink its teeth into his right hind leg. Mudkip quickly shook it off. Its leg was bleeding freely. It appeared to have been injured pretty badly. Larvitar was good, he'd have to think up a strategy, and quick, if he wanted any chance of beating it.   
  
"While it's hurt, Larvitar! Hyper Beam!," Sean heard Jon bellow.  
  
"What?!," Sean exclaimed.  
  
In horror, Sean watched as Larvitar opened its mouth. A ball of golden energy formed between his teeth. The ball grew bigger. Sean knew this meant trouble.   
  
"Mudkip, get ready to dodge!," he yelled out to him.  
  
"Kip," it said resolutely.  
  
Larvitar finished its power-up. The ball stuck nearly a foot out of its mouth now. Its eyes narrowed. It waited for its master's call.  
  
"Now, Larvitar, release the Hyper Beam!," Jon bellowed, his eyes flashing wildly.  
  
The energy released from the Hyper Beam tore up the ground. Larvitar was blown back a few feet as it struggled to stand againstthe powerful beam it had created. Rocks and dirt flew everywhere. It screamed toward Mudkip, its target, with great accuracy. Mudkip squealed. The beam was going to engulf it. This might mean more than the match, it could mean its life. Sean's heart skipped a beat as he prepared for the right moment to give Mudkip his command. There was no sound from the crowd. All that was heard was the breaking of rock and dirt. Mudkip stood firm, ever faithful to his Trainer, his friend. He would follow him to the end, even if this was it.   
  
To Be Continued...  
  
@-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-@  
  
Closing Note: Cliffhanger! Don't ya just hate me? Ha! =P A much more exciting Chapter in my opinion. But let's get some response to these people. Let me know what you think of my story. Is it even worthy of your attention. I need some kind of clue whether or not to keep writing! *Espeonage* 


	4. Villains Revealed

Author's Note: Chapter Four. Oooh, I bet you were all anxious for this little baby. A little cliffhanger did he leave you? Heheh. I'm on MS Word now. The spelling errors shouldn't be anywhere near as bad as they were before. By the way, Dawn; thank you very much for pointing Pokemasters out to me. I've been going to Gamefaqs forever, so I knew that it had tons of info, but I had no idea that Pokemasters was back up. You may be getting a surprise later on. ;)  
  
A Renewed State of Mind  
  
By: Espeonage  
  
Chapter Four: Villains Revealed.  
  
The air was dead still, all eyes on the battle. Not a breath was taken as the beam of energy stalked its prey. Mudkip was rigid with fear; never before in its life had it stood against a power so awesome. Immeasurable worry coursed through Sean as his new best friend faced an attack few ever saw.  
  
The field quaked and the power of the beam only grew as it traveled. The students looked on at their master in disbelief. Why would he use his Pokemon's most powerful attack on such a young and inexperienced Pokemon? Something was wrong.  
  
"Mudkip.. Grr. Try and take it on! Water Gun," desperation had set in.  
  
Mudkip held ground and fired. Dead on the Water Gun hit. The beam quivered at mid-field and slowly pushed itself toward Mudkip. It had bought itself some time. Sean thanked God and continued to think. Mudkip's maneuverability was definitely lowered with its leg like that.. He needed to work around it.. It hit him. Mudkip's Water Gun would be their only chance. But the speed required to perform it. Could Mudkip handle it? This was no time for doubts.  
  
"Mudkip, aim your Water Gun at the ground," Sean screamed. This was it.  
  
It knew what Sean was thinking. Releasing the Hyper Beam from its watery restraints, he pummeled the ground with a stream of high-pressured water. It worked as Sean had planned. Mudkip's light weight had made the Water Gun a perfect tool to launch Mudkip skyward, directly over the beam. Just in time too. The beam careened under Mudkip just as it had reached its pinnacle and slammed into Sean's podium with tremendous force, shaking it to the point he was almost thrown to the ground.  
  
Jon was in dismay. Larvitar's attack had left it weak, low on energy, and susceptible to any oncoming attacks. He knew that they needed at least a minute before he could fight again. The match-decider had failed him.  
  
Sean regained his balance, ready to finish. Mudkip stood opposite Larvitar, staring it down. He noticed Larvitar's chest inflating and deflating itself rapidly.  
  
"That last attack took a lot out of it.. Maybe this is our shot," Sean thought out loud, "Mudkip, try your Mud-Slap!"  
  
And for the third time ever in a battle, Mudkip spat mud backwards onto its tail and heaved it into the face of a defenseless enemy. Larvitar couldn't even begin to clear its face when Mudkip made its move. The leg hindering it slightly, it sprinted toward Larvitar with all it had. The jump was extremely painful; blood pumping out of its wound with each step it took. But still he moved on, tail cocked, he launched his final assault on Larvitar. An ear-splitting smack rang through the arena. Larvitar fell. The mighty rock sat there for a few seconds, twitching slightly, then promptly ceased its movements and lied on the ground in a mud-covered heap.  
  
"The Match goes to the Green Trainer," the little girl half-whispered, slightly shaken.  
  
"Larvitar, return," Jon said blankly.  
  
His very best Pokemon being defeated, he fell to his knees and looked on at Sean. Disbelief and hatred coursed through his every vein. A Trainer, fresh out of his hometown, comes to his Gym THREE DAYS after becoming a Trainer and beats his best Pokemon whom he'd spent three YEARS training. It was a complete outrage.  
  
"I.. I can't believe it," still in disbelief, "Larvitar."  
  
Sean stood on his podium in shock. Then he noticed Mudkip. It was cradling its injured leg as a mother would a child. The bleeding wasn't stopping, and it didn't seem that it would. It needed help and it needed it now.  
  
"Mudkip, return! You're getting to the Pokemon Center right now! Jon, I'll be back later for my badge," he shouted over to Jon, "You comin' Meredith?"  
  
"Yes," she was still stunned at Mudkip's performance, but ready to move when asked.  
  
They reached the inside of the Gym in little time at all. The run there was much quicker than the walk out. Meredith pointed toward the door and Sean followed hurriedly. The streets were packed by this time. It was near three o'clock and the shops were alive with customers. Meredith guided Sean through the packed crowds and lines to the Pokemon Center.  
  
Most of the Trainers that had been there earlier had left. Nurse Joy was going over a Progress Report for the Center behind the counter.  
  
"Nurse Joy," Sean yelled, getting her attention. He released Mudkip onto the counter, "Mudkip's been injured very badly. You need to look at him NOW."  
  
"Again," she sighed, "Let me see how bad this really is.. Oh my! Chansey, get a stretcher out here now!"  
  
Again off to the Emergency Room they went. A painstaking twenty minutes went by before any sign came from the ER. The door then opened, and Joy entered with a relieved look on her face.  
  
"The wound wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. A pretty nice-sized cut, but we cleaned and wrapped it. Mudkip won't need much else."  
  
"Thank you so much," Sean said, resuming a position next to Meredith on the cough with Mudkip's ball on his lap.  
  
"Sean, I'm serious in this. You and Mudkip were amazing today. I can't believe you beat him," she squealed.  
  
"Neither can I," Sean said, head returning to the Match, "Mudkip's a tough little guy, that's for sure."  
  
They left the Pokemon Center about half an hour later after stocking up on snacks. The streets were still extremely crowded.  
  
"Jesus, is it like this every day," Sean asked, getting a little mad at the time it was taking them to get to the Gym.  
  
"If only.. There's a festival starting tonight. The streets'll be packed until at least ten o'clock tonight. People start passing out by then. It's pretty funny, actually," she said.  
  
Sean shook his head and they continued. The Gym eventually came into view; crystals within the formation itself glistened in the sun as they came close. It amazed Sean how beautiful it could look.  
  
They entered and proceeded to the front desk. The clerk was back, her hair in a tight bun, Gym uniform clean and pressed.  
  
"May I help you," she asked kindly.  
  
"Yeah, we're looking for Jon. He owes me a Badge."  
  
"You must be Sean. Hold on a second," she said as she reached under the desk and pulled out a plain white, unsealed envelope, "Jon went off to the festival, but he left this here for you."  
  
"Thanks," he called as they walked out of the Gym.  
  
The envelope opened easily, still having the crisp feel of a new piece of paper. He pulled out the Badge. It was the same symbol Jon had on his Gym uniform. A black "K" surrounded on all sides by falling rocks. Sean whipped his book bag from his back, folded the front pocket down (it folded down to show pencil holders and the like) and pinned the Badge upright on the fold down part.  
  
"What do you say we check out some of the festivities," Meredith giggled.  
  
"Uhh.. Sure. I guess we could look around before I get going."  
  
"Going home tonight, huh?"  
  
"No, I'm on the road for good now. I won't be back until I find my dad. He's off training somewhere. I'll either find him wherever he is now or at the League Tournament."  
  
"Oh, that sounds fun," she giggled again.  
  
They spent the rest of the day and a few hours into the night checking out the festival's events, people, acts. Everything. Meredith even gave him a tour of the city and he now had a fairly good idea where everything was. Mudkip was let out at about nine, being totally forgotten about until then. It enjoyed the sights as much as both of them did, never having had seen humans behave so strangely before.  
  
Time was lost with their enjoyment. They spent all day searching the stands and drinking beverages, all free, compliments of the festival. Meredith had picked herself out some tops and a pair of jeans, modeling them all for a much delighted Sean.  
  
Hours flew by like minutes and before they knew it, it was midnight. Most of the people, as Meredith had said, were passed out on the sides of the streets. Some in them. The day had tired them all out and Sean took his time in walking Meredith back to the shop. Mudkip was snoozing cozily in its Pokeball.  
  
Sean spotted the shop first. Something wasn't right. He quietly ran to the front of the shop, hiding himself behind the wall between the front window and the door. The glass on the door had been smashed. A forced entry. Voices could be heard from within. Sean signaled for Meredith to follow him and they slinked inside.  
  
"Quite a plan if I do say so myself," bragged a deep male voice.  
  
"Yes, yes quite the plan," came another voice, also male, "Too bad you didn't come up with it."  
  
"Hey, whatever the Boss comes up with is rightfully my idea anyway. He doesn't talk to anyone but me."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Let's just get the boys outta here as quick as we can. We can't risk being seen."  
  
"By who? Everyone's dead drunk on the friggin street! Take a look," Sean sunk into a shadow in case the other voice did come.  
  
"No, I'm fine," came the second man's voice, "This old man needs to spill his guts first."  
  
Sean peered his head cautiously around the corner, the whole scene coming into view. Arnold was gagged and bound to a wooden chair in a far corner of the back room of the shop. The two men that were talking were standing over him, one with a silenced handgun. One was tall, 6'5" at least. He had brown hair, and wore a blue bandana. The other was slightly shorter, maybe an inch or so. He had flaming red hair that seemed to light up the room. The same blue bandana adorned his head.  
  
"Such a messy business, hunting people down, eh Ruben," the second man asked.  
  
"Damn straight, Orlando. Had to slit a few throats before we got our information, but no more. We've tracked down Arnold Harmon and our search is finally over. All we need now is to break him down enough that he'll spill all of his information to us. Then we report back to the Boss and get our next assignment."  
  
Sean turned his head back to Meredith and whispered, "What do they want with your father?"  
  
Meredith didn't respond. All she did was shake her head and shiver. Sean forced himself to look away from her pitiful condition to return his eyes to the criminals.  
  
"Now," Ruben said, handing the gun to Orlando, and walking toward Arnold, "We've got a few questions to ask you, old man," he finished, now upon Arnold, tilting the chair he was tied to onto its back legs.  
  
"First, a few easy ones.. Your name is Arnold Harmon. Am I correct," he asked, removing the gag.  
  
"I'll tell you nothing, you animal.."  
  
"Well, you see, that's very unfortunate. We're the ones in control here. So until you give us what we want, we've been employed to reach our goal by any means necessary."  
  
"You can't do a thing to me.."  
  
"Oh, but we can. And we will. But. If you give us what we want, we may walk out of here without hurting a hair on your head," he finished by plucking a single strand of hair from Arnold.  
  
"Our terms are, as you can see, fairly simple," Orlando broke in, "You scratch our back.. We don't rip a hole in yours.."  
  
Face unwavered by their threats he continued to harass his captors, "You'll get nothing out of me. My loyalty has been tested many times and you'll never get information this important from me."  
  
Ruben chuckled, "You seem to underestimate us, old man. Our methods may be old-fashioned, but very effective."  
  
Ruben stood slowly from his kneeling position next to Arnold. He walked back to Orlando and shook his head, apparently in thought. This man could be harder to crack than they had previously figured it would be. But they had to at least try.  
  
Sean held back the urge to release Mudkip. He knew that despite its newly discovered power, it'd be totally outnumbered by these two men. Plus, the gun. His mind was set not to let it loose until he knew for sure that it couldn't get too badly injured. Until then, he'd have to watch his new friend's father be interrogated.  
  
"Ok, let's try this again. Is your name Arnold Harmon?"  
  
"You already know. Don't expect me to answer such a moronic question.."  
  
"You're trying my patience, old man," Ruben bellowed, blood rushing to his face, "Give me what I want, or you'll never again see the light of day!"  
  
"Never.."  
  
"Houndour, go," he called, eyes flashing, "If this doesn't teach you I mean business, nothing will. Houndour, Crunch!"  
  
The firedog leapt forward with its jaws outstretched, awaiting the entry of its target, Arnold's leg. It reached it, clamping down with such force that a sickening crack could be heard through the entire room. Releasing, it backed off to reveal its work. Arnold's pant leg was in tatters, blood flowing freely from the fresh wound. The sickening sound had been Arnold's leg breaking. His bone stuck through his skin and was poking out at an odd angle. Meredith let out a scream that Sean quickly muffled. Luckily, nobody had heard her.  
  
Arnold fought back the urges to both cry and pass out from the pain. He tried to keep his head clear, the pain was nearly blinding him. All the while, his captors laughed at him.  
  
"Good work, Houndour," Ruben patted it, "Looks like he'll be talking after all."  
  
An electronic beep made them all jump. Ruben produced a walkie-talkie from his belt and clicked the vid-phone on. A man appeared onscreen. Dark and shifting eyes were all anyone could see. The rest of him was cloaked in shadow.  
  
"Yes, Boss," Ruben asked.  
  
"Why aren't you finished yet," he asked, gruff voice elevated, "We need that information before we can continue our operation! Get it and get your incompetent asses out of there!"  
  
"Yes, Boss," he whimpered, turning off the vid-phone.  
  
He turned harshly back to Arnold, "Now! I'm cutting straight to the chase! Tell me where Gregory Moonfeld is," he wailed, eyes seeming to pierce Arnold's skin.  
  
Gregory Moonfeld? Sean sat completely still, eyes glued on the interrogation. Why would they bring HIM into their plans? What would he have that they needed? Sean was lost in his own head, searching for the reason behind their question. Why would they be after his father?  
  
Arnold was shaky. He could hardly hear over the pounding pain in his head, but he heard well enough to say:  
  
"Fuck you," he coughed out, "You'll get nothing from me."  
  
"Why do you have to make this so difficult on me," Ruben screamed, his head beginning to pound.  
  
With a metallic sound, the gun was whipped from Orlando's hand. Ruben pointed it at Arnold, trigger being tested, his finger twitching with anticipation.  
  
"Last chance, grandpa man.. Where in the FUCK is Gregory Moonfeld?!"  
  
Sean was unable to stay hidden. He moved far enough away from the wall that Arnold was aware of his presence.  
  
"Three!"  
  
Sean was in sight, Arnold acknowledged him with a shake of his head. Sean stopped and looked at him awaiting some sign of instruction of any kind.  
  
"Two!"  
  
The gun was itching for a fire. Arnold wouldn't give them anything. Gregory Moonfeld was his friend, not some tool for their manipulation.  
  
"One!"  
  
"Sean, get Meredith out of here," he bellowed as the gun went off.  
  
The weight of his body falling over had knocked the chair towards the wall. Blood was dripping from his mouth and there was gaping hole in the side of his head. Sean didn't have time to see it, though. He was already off. He had grabbed Meredith's hand just as he had screamed to, and taken to the street. The men were already upon them.  
  
"Meredith, I know it hurts, but you'll have to stop crying.. They'll find us.."  
  
He wrapped an arm around her and stroked her head so she'd slightly calm down. He knew he couldn't just by a simple rub on the head, but she needed to be quieter if they wanted to get out of town alive. Just then, a voice was heard. The alley they were hiding in was shady enough to hide them to any but the trained eye, but it wasn't very deep. A man, clad in shadow stood there, a man running toward him from the opposite direction.  
  
"Sir, the job's been foiled. Ruben killed our last chance at finding Moonfeld."  
  
"Damn him. I'll have his job for this.. Round up the remainder of the men and meet me at the helicopter. That bastard will pay for.. Oh.. Did you find the children that were hiding in the shop? We cannot afford to have them reporting this to the police."  
  
"No, Sir. Someone said they saw them flying off on a large Pidgeot."  
  
"Well that was a lie.. Have him shot," he snarled as he stepped into the light. His young appearance certainly shocked Sean. His eyes grew in recognition as he realized who he was looking at and who the deep unfamiliar voice belonged to.  
  
"Jon.."  
  
Closing Note: Sorry for the extremely long wait (compared to my other updates) you had to endure while I found the time (and creativity) to write this Chapter. Sort of a writer's haze was covering me so to speak. Also, I apologize that this Chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones. But admit it, you liked it right? Thought so. One last thing before I do my usually goodbyes. Read, "The Felicities and Fallacies of Pokemon Training," by The Duke of Briarcliffe. Also. Duke. UPDATE!!! That being said, I'd like to say Kaminieha and be off.  
  
@~*Espeonage*~@ 


End file.
